#TurningTheTide #NCDs

This series of 26 short documentaries aims to give voice to people living with and affected by non-communicable diseases (NCDs), also shining a spotlight on the crucial efforts of those around the world who are dedicated to confronting the NCD epidemic and making prevention and control a global priority.

These deeply personal stories represent a great diversity of people and topics, including diabetes in Mexico, mental health conditions in Ghana and South Africa, stroke in Romania, hypertension in Myanmar and psoriasis in the Philippines. Going beyond the effects of the diseases themselves, the films also examine aspects such as risk factors like air pollution and unhealthy diet, the stigmas that people living with NCDs face, the role of certain industries in the NCD epidemic, and the importance of urgently addressing NCDs as a sustainable development issue.

Action is long overdue. With 70% of all deaths worldwide caused by non-communicable diseases and the global burden of NCDs expected to increase 17% by 2025 – most of all in low- to middle-income countries – there is an urgent need to turn the tide. The series aims to:

  • Raise awareness of NCDs within the global development community
  • Challenge perceptions of NCDs
  • Highlight the financial burden of NCDs and their impact on economies and communities
  • Encourage society to increase attention to NCD prevention, treatment and care

“There is a pressing need to tell of the challenge and impact of NCDs through the lens of human stories. This series of short films goes beyond the numbers and statistics and puts a human face to these diseases, relaying the everyday reality of living with or caring for people with NCDs in low- and middle-income countries. They also highlight the power of community action, resilience and agency, by shining a spotlight on the change agents who are making a difference to turn the tide on NCDs.”

- Katie Dain, CEO of the NCD Alliance

The NCD Alliance and BBC StoryWorks encourage you to share this series and join the conversation using the hashtags #TurningTheTide #NCDs.

NCD Logo

The NCD Alliance (NCDA) is a unique civil society network dedicated to improving NCD prevention and control worldwide. Together with strategic partners, including WHO, the UN and governments, NCDA is transforming the global fight against NCDs. It uses targeted advocacy and outreach to ensure that NCDs are recognised as a major cause of poverty, a barrier to economic development, and a global emergency requiring an urgent response. This is done by working with a wide range of organisations, speaking with a united voice at international meetings, mobilising its growing network, producing the latest policy work on NCDs and building the evidence base, convening expert working groups on a range of topics, and pressing governments to recognise that NCDs are a global development priority.

The NCD Alliance was founded by four international NGO federations representing the four main NCDs – cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory disease. Together with other major international NGO partners, NCD Alliance today unites a network of over 2,000 civil society organisations in more than 170 countries.

BBC Storyworks logo

BBC StoryWorks is a creative studio with newsroom values, bringing together boldness and innovation with agility and timeliness. It embodies the BBC’s spark and rigorous editorial quality to create video productions that connect with audiences through beautifully crafted storytelling. Its team use award-winning expertise in video production, writing and journalism to offer a deeper and more personal perspective on key issues than traditional news outlets.

Members and Partners

This project was developed and carried out with the support and collaboration of many partners across public, private and non-profit health and development sectors that share a common interest in improving the lives of people living with NCDs:

Abbot logo
Access Accelerated logo
AstraZeneca logo
Boehringer Ingelheim logo
Cambridge University
CARE Philippines logo
The Fred Hollows Foundation logo
Health Finance Institute logo
Helmsley Charitable Trust logo
Icon Group logo
MAP Sciences logo
The Novartis Foundation logo
Novo Nordisk logo
Plan International logo
Population Services International logo
International Federation of Psoriasis Associations logo
Qatar Biomedical Research Unit logo
Sanofi logo
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation logo
Takeda logo
Teva logo
Viatris logo
World Heart Federation logo
World Stroke Organisation logo

 

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